Chapter 29 #2
“I was in a panic trying to find Piper, and these babies”—I hit the truck—“don’t get pulled over for speeding.”
“You must really love this woman if you’re willing to risk your job for it.” He scratches his head and looks at me sideways. “I heard today that there’s reports of a gang hitman on the loose. Care to tell me about that?”
“It’s a very long story that a busy man won’t have time to hear, but I’m sure it will be in the local newspaper tomorrow for you to read.”
“Your badge will have to be confiscated for the time being.”
Expected.
“But if it was down to me, I’d say you earned it.”
I hitch an eyebrow.
He continues. “Of course, you must understand that I have certain protocols to fulfill as station manager. You’ll need to take unpaid leave for at least a couple of months while I sort out a few things.
” His eyes have some depth to them, which I quite like.
“You are a good officer, Rourke, and I will persuade my superiors to get you back in the station as soon as possible.” He takes a step forward and does the unimaginable—places his hand on my shoulder.
Like we’re old friends. “You’re a good person.
And good people sometimes have to cross legal boundaries in order to win.
” He pats me on the shoulder and sends me on my way, causing a very confusing, but clarifying walk back home.
The sun is setting by the time I make it back, and Sonny and Ellie are both out in the yard—Ellie cartwheeling, Sonny kicking a soccer ball back and forth with his mother.
My heart bursts with pride, and a flurry of other emotions burst through the seams, contributing to my smile. It’s so wide that I feel it splitting open my face.
“Dad!” Ellie calls, regaining her balance after a cartwheel. “You’re back just in time for the lasagna.”
I lick my lips performatively. “Lasagna, you say?” I lift her up into the air.
“Dad!” she drawls, an octave lower this time. Ellie loves to remind me that she’s not five anymore, but she’ll always be my little girl, and never too big to play spaceships with.
I set her back down and immediately feel Piper watching me from afar. The soccer ball is clamped under her foot, completely forgotten about.
“Mom! You have the ball.”
“Ah. So I do.” She kicks it back to Sonny—could probably work on her aim.
But time is something we have a lot of. She could learn a few lessons on soccer from me, that way we can all play together.
“Hey,” I begin, offering her a small smile. “I’m off work for a while, but not sacked, so that’s a cause for celebration.”
She returns my small smile. “Caleb—”
“Don’t. I’m sorry for overreacting.”
“No, it was completely justified. I was thinking of myself and never stopped to consider how keeping this from you might’ve made you feel, considering what happened in the past.”
I say nothing, and decide to kiss her.
She responds to my touch, accepting my tongue into her mouth. It brushes tenderly with mine in the start of a fiery embrace that we’re gonna have to save for later when we’re alone.
Thankfully, Ellie’s excited screaming breaks us apart.
“Oh. My. God! Did you know that you’re kissing?”
“Well aware,” I quip, my nose still pressed against Piper’s.
“But you told me that you weren’t together.”
“Things change,” I say, turning to face Ellie this time.
That’s when Piper shuffles forward and gestures for Sonny to come over here. “I wanna speak to you for a minute, buddy. Actually, we both do.”
Sonny scampers over, heavy-footed. I see now where he gets that from.
All thoughts from today wash away as soon as I see Sonny. That mischievous smile is mine. His eyes, his chin—everything about him is a combination of things derived from me and Piper, and that heals something huge inside of me.
Piper squats down to meet his eyes, her mouth flapping open several times as she tries to find the words.
Eventually, she settles for: “Caleb…” Another dozen hesitations follow before she actually gets somewhere.
“Sonny, I know it’s been just the two of us, which is why I wanted to get your thoughts on us living here permanently with Caleb and Ellie. ”
Sonny’s brown eyes flare wide. “As in, we get to stay here?” The boy is already punching the air in victory, eager to take off through the yard like he’s scored a goal.
Piper reels him back in. “I take that as a yes?”
Sonny nods his head repeatedly.
“Good,” she says. “Because there’s something you should know about Caleb.” She squeezes his hands tighter and says, “He’s your dad.”
It can’t be possible for Sonny’s eyes to get any bigger than they already are, but they manage to pop right out of the sockets. “As in, my real dad?”
Piper nods, waiting for his reaction.
He takes off, and this time she lets him do a lap around the lawn. His extended arms wrap straight around my thighs as he comes back around to his starting point, and my heart bursts with overflowing love again.
“You’re really my dad?”
I ruffle his hair and smile. I’ll save the tears for later. “I really am, buddy. So be prepared to lose all of your soccer games from now on. We’ll be spending a lot of time kicking that ball about in the yard”—I narrow my eyes—“if you can handle my game.”
“The last time we played, I handled you four-one.”
“That was a fluke.”
“No. You’re just really bad.”
Why does that feel like one one of the best compliments I’ve ever received?
I pat Sonny on the back, looking forward to many evenings spent out in the backyard whooping his ass. That’s what every good soccer player needs—a good whooping.
“Can we have this lasagna yet?” Ellie grumbles, joining the rest of us.
My heart will never get tired from feeling this kind of love. I turn to Piper, and we exchange a smile. It’s a huge pinch-me moment for the both of us as we realize that this is now going to be the rest of our lives. Me. Her. The kids, and the new little creation growing inside of her.